Monday's health tip - Food additives

I've written a lot about remedies and complementary therapies lately. On this weeks Monday Health Tip, I wanted to break that cycle and talk about something else for a change. So I'll start with one thing related to diet that really concerns me - food additives, specifically artificial colors and flavors.

Anyone who loves good food knows that presentation is just as important as the taste when it comes to the dining experience. After all, we eat with our eyes first! Would you buy a Coke that is not brown, or Goldfish crackers that are only a dull yellow? We are so used to seeing food products of a certain color that we look with uncertainty if they are any different from 'normal'. 

Think about it - artificial colors and flavors are everywhere. Starting with the toothpaste you put into your mouth first thing in the morning, to your breakfast cereal, boxed mac and cheese, yogurt, salad dressings, soda, energy drinks, sauces and seasonings, bottled beverages like coffee and tea and Nesquik, cosmetics, and even vitamins and medicines. I doubt you'll find any product devoid of artificial colors and flavors if you look at the snacks and treats that are generally marketed to kids. Did you know that it takes a number of ingredients to produce that artificial strawberry flavor that is commonly added to yogurts and ice-creams?

Adding color and flavor to food makes it more appealing, but is it safe? There is an ongoing debate whether artificial colors cause ADHD and other attention-deficit disorders in children.The FDA says artificial colors and flavors are absolutely safe because they are synthesized in a lab under controlled situations, and that they are safer than natural colors and flavors. 

So why the concern about these food additives? It is because little children are very vulnerable as their organ systems are not fully developed and their excretory mechanism is immature; therefore, they cannot detoxify their bodies appropriately. With the majority of the processed food market targeted at kids, we need to think twice about offering foods that contain artificial colors and flavors, especially since even the most innocent looking foods contain these additives. 

What is the alternative? It is nearly impossible to escape from food additives in today's world, but moderation is the key - which means, if you can avoid it, then you don't really need it. We need to be conscious of what we eat. 

The later children are exposed to food additives, the better. It is good to avoid processed foods completely for the first two years unless absolutely necessary. There are always homemade alternatives which are fresher and tastier and you can include ingredients to suit your requirements (not to mention the satisfaction you get from making something from scratch in your own kitchen!) Finally, have a look at this list of safe and unsafe food additives. 


 

Additional reading

 

The Feingold program is used to see if any of the food additives are the cause of a person's ADHD, through an elimination diet. Lots of information here! 

A Lancet study - Food additives and hyperactive behavior in 3- and 8/9-year-olds

An article in Forbes

WebMD - Food dye and ADHD

FDA - Food ingredients and colors

FDA - List of foods considered Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS) that do not require labeling - Jump to Lists 4, 5, and 6 for food additives that are exempt from labeling.

British Medical Journal - The effects of artificial food color and benzoate preservative in preschool kids - A double-blind placebo-controlled study